Marketing Lessons we can Learn from Apple

So, right now, Apple is basically the biggest company in the world and they are also one of the most respected companies too. Their brand is know all across the world and their marketing strategies are known as some of the best around. Apple is loved by millions and when a new product comes out, they have hundreds and thousands of people lining up outside their stores waiting to spend hundreds of dollars on their products.

Now, it doesn’t matter what kind of business you are running, you can learn a lot from the marketing strategies of Apple and we are sure that you need more custom too. Anyway, here are some of the things we can learn from Apple that can be applied to any business.

#1 – Don’t overcomplicate things

Apple - Simple is better

All companies always overcomplicate things when it comes to their products, branding and marketing. Most companies will feel that they need a way to stand out from the competition so they will hire branding companies to create a brand for them. Of course, this works in a lot of instances but really, it is overcomplicating everything.

Apple always focuses on ensuring that their products are as refined as possible. Think about their series of computers. They offer around 3 types of laptop and 3 types of desktop computer. They also have just one phone (the iPhone) and one tablet PC. other companies are constantly bringing out ranges of these products and giving them complicated names. This is where Apple makes things simple.

Apple goes for the option of quality over quantity and this is what you should be doing too. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, you should only offer a few options. This is something that is often misjudged with restaurants as they usually have menu’s with hundreds of items. The truth is that less is more. Never offer something that you wouldn’t buy yourself.

#2 – Don’t listen to what others say

This is a difficult thing to do in business as you will constantly hear that you need to listen to your customers. Although this is true, it is important not to let others drown out what you initially thought. Chances are that if you had an idea that you were passionate about, it was a good idea. It is for this reason that you need to make sure you take your idea all the way through to the end.

By doing this, you are actually making the marketing of your product even more simple. Because you will understand exactly what you’re offering inside out because you haven’t listened to other people’s ideas, you will know how to market it.

#3 – Don’t offer a discount

Apple Store- Sticking to their prices

One of the things that is always done in marketing is discounts. This is good marketing in some cases, as it usually does lead to more custom and will generate revenue for your business. However, what this does in a lot of cases is actually cheapen your product. Think about it, if something is being offered for a discount, it is only because people won’t pay full price for it and therefore, the company needs to sell more of them.

By sticking to your guns and creating a good price in the first place, you will end up selling more of the product. People will buy your product because you don’t give discounts. So long as you let people know why your product is the price that it is, they will have no problem. Let them know how great the product is for the price you charge. They will have more faith in your product as it isn’t being sold at a reduced cost.

#4 – Create a brand

This is something that you don’t only need to learn from Apple but a number of other companies around the world too. Think about it, you don’t buy an MP3 player these days, you buy an iPod. You don’t buy a cola, you buy a Coca Cola. This is because their marketing is top notch and their product is too.

Creating a brand doesn’t require a branding company and a fancy logo, it requires your company to stand for something good and unique. Think about it, Apple stands for quality and the best. Coca Cola revolves around fun with their slogan “open happiness”. A brand is how your product is going to make people feel. Branding will help you sell a lot of products as you will begin to be a trusted name. Remember, a brand is nothing without a good product.

#5 – Tell people that you’re amazing

This might seem like a weird one, but the genius of Apple’s marketing is that they always let people know that they are fantastic. All of their commercials, emails and any other form of marketing points to the fact that they are the best.

You need to really think about what is so great about your product and what is so unique and better than everyone else’s product and then throw it in your customers faces. Don’t be afraid to tell people why your product should be purchased rather than a competitors. If you have the best tasting smoothie in the world, tell people that. If you have the most beautiful products, tell people.

Apple’s marketing in this area might appear a little big headed but there is no doubt that their products are some of the best in the world. If you’re going to take this marketing tip on board, you actually need to make sure that your products are up to scratch and you aren’t fooling people. People see through things like that.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Apple is the brand to follow. Their marketing is almost total perfection, aside from the odd slip up (ahem, iPhone 4 antenna). Analyse Apple too much however, and you will lose your own identity. Having said this, there is still much to learn.